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Project Instructions This collection contains marriage and death extracts that were published in various newspapers from Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut.

You will find that there are quite a few fields for each record, though most of them will not be used for every record. This is due mostly because we need to capture spouse information when it is available.

Choose the event type for each entry. Only one event type should be chosen for each entry. The possible events are marriage, death, and burial. If both death and burial information is given, categorize this as a death event type and key the death information. If only a funeral information is given, categorize the event type as burial.

Most often the only date given for a record is a publication date. It will usually be either in parentheses after the extract, or at the beginning of a list. If it is at the beginning of multiple entries, key this publication date to all the records to which it applies. When there is no vital date, but the vital date can be reasonably calculated from the publication date with the information given in the entry, key the calculated date into the event date fields. For example, if a death extract says the person died yesterday and the publication date is January 5 1799, then the event date should be keyed as "4 Jan 1799".

As per keying example 1, do not key these names when it states eg. Amar, Margaret, see David Jacobs.

Vital Extracts

Choose the "Vital Extracts" when the image contains extract records of marriages and deaths.

Additional Image Samples

Event Type

Choose the type of event. Event options are: Marriage, Death, and Burial. Only key burial information if death information is not available.

Suffix

Key all titles, such as "Jr" or "III", following the surname of the primary person as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you.

Surname

Key the surname of the primary person as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you.

Given

Key the first name or initial and any middle names of the primary person as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. Initials should be keyed with a space between them and without entering the periods.

Prefix

Key any titles before the given name, such as "Dr", "Rev", "Mr" or "Mrs", as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. On death records "stillborn", "child", "unknown", or "not stated" may appear. Key these as prefixes. If "child of Archibald Kennedy" appears, key "child of" as a prefix then key the father name as "Archibald Kennedy." Per keying samples, ranks are included as prefixes.

Father Given

Key the first name or initial and any middle names of the father of the primary person as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. Initials should be keyed with a space between them and without entering the periods.

Father Surname

Key the surname of the father of the primary person as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you.

Mother Given

Key the first name or initial and any middle names of the mother of the primary person as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. Initials should be keyed with a space between them and without entering the periods.

Mother Surname

Key the surname of the mother of the primary person as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. If both a married and maiden surname appear for the mother, key the maiden name. Anna (Fechter) has said that it is ok to assume the parents and spouse surnames on this project when they are not showing (per message board).

Spouse Given

Key the first name or initial and any middle names of the spouse of the primary person as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. Initials should be keyed with a space between them and without entering the periods.

Spouse Surname

Key the surname of the spouse of the primary person as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you.

Spouse Father Given

Key the first name or initial and any middle names of the father of the spouse as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. Initials should be keyed with a space between them and without entering the periods.

Spouse Father Surname

Key the surname of the father of the spouse as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you.

Spouse Mother Given

Key the first name or initial and any middle names of the mother of the spouse as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. Initials should be keyed with a space between them and without entering the periods.

Spouse Mother Surname

Key the surname of the mother of the spouse as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. If both a married and maiden surname appear for the spouse's mother, key the maiden name.

Age at Death

Key the age at the time of death. Valid ages include numeric digits between "0" and "120" and fractions between "1/12" and "11/12". If an age includes years, months, and/or days key only the years. For example, if an age appears as 10 years, 7 months, key age as "10". If an age appears in months, such as 10 months, key age as a fraction: "10/12". If an age includes years plus a fraction, such as 3 3/12, key only the year: "3."If the age is less than one month, key "0." If stated as 37-1-4, for example, key as 37. Per Anna Fechter, if the age is stated as 'in the 80th year', key as 79.

Publication Day

Key the day of the publication date. It will usually be either in parentheses after the extract, or at the beginning of a list. If it is at the beginning of multiple entries, key this publication date to all the records to which it applies.

Publication Month

Key the month in its three-letter abbreviation from the publication date using the dictionary provided to assist you. It will usually be either in parentheses after the extract, or at the beginning of a list. If it is at the beginning of multiple entries, key this publication date to all the records to which it applies.

Publication Year

Key the year from the publication date. It will usually be either in parentheses after the extract, or at the beginning of a list. If it is at the beginning of multiple entries, key this publication date to all the records to which it applies.

Event Day

Key the day from the event date if it appears on the record. Do not key the publication date as the event date. When there is no vital date, but the vital date can be reasonably calculated from the publication date with the information given in the entry, key the calculated date into the event date fields. For example, if a death extract says the person died yesterday and the publication date is January 5 1799, then the event date should be keyed as "4 Jan 1799". For death notices, if the only date mentioned is a funeral date, this should be keyed as the burial date.

Event Month

Key the month from the event date in its three-letter abbreviation if it appears on the record using the dictionary provided to assist you. Do not key the publication date as the event date. When there is no vital date, but the vital date can be reasonably calculated from the publication date with the information given in the entry, key the calculated date into the event date fields. For example, if a death extract says the person died yesterday and the publication date is January 5 1799, then the event date should be keyed as "4 Jan 1799". Months are sometimes indicated by the word "Ultimo" or abbreviation "Ult" meaning the prior month, or by the word "Instant" or the abbreviation "Ins" meaning the current month. For example, if the publication month is March and the article says "Ult" then the event month should be keyed as "Feb". For death notices, if the only date mentioned is a funeral date, this should be keyed as the burial date.

Event Year

Key the year from the event date if it appears on the record. When there is no vital date, but the vital date can be reasonably calculated from the publication date with the information given in the entry, key the calculated date into the event date fields. For example, if a death extract says the person died yesterday and the publication date is January 5 1799, then the event date should be keyed as "4 Jan 1799". For death notices, if the only date mentioned is a funeral date, this should be keyed as the burial date.

Event Location

Key the event location as seen on the image using the dictionary provided to assist you. Separate geographical locations with a comma, such as "Kent, England." The event location should be the city, county, state, and/or country. Do not use postal abbreviations (IL, MA); key state as seen. Do not key the name of the church unless it is the only location provided.

Keying Image Samples

Index

If an image is specifically defined as an index in the project instructions choose the 'Index' form type. Project-specific examples will be included if known to exist in the project; however, a generic image will also be included. If there are any questions submit a query to the Vendor Manager.

Additional Image Samples

Cover page, Section header, etc.

Use the “Cover page, Section header, etc” type for images that don’t contain any data, but might be interesting to look at because they provide some type of context for the image set. For instance, historical notes, affidavits, and so forth.

Additional Image Samples

Image with no data

Use the “Image with no data” type for images that don’t contain any data or any useful context that might be interesting for someone to look at. For instance, an image containing only the blank background or an image with a microfilm target on it.